Thank you so much Fallen Horse and John V!!! I have been working very hard and it seems Im going to have to step it up a bit as well. Im eating more these days(which Im not sure is good), but Im able to make it through two hour workouts without much fatigue.

The one thing I have noticed since preparing for this show is my hand muscle and grip strength have almost disappeared. I cant hold onto really heavy weight for long(without straps) and doing the simplest things like dips just tears me up right to the bone. I have never had this problem as I have always had meaty hands and great grip strength. Im working through it though!

I dont have any great video like robert and giacomo, but I will have more pictures as of today. Im doing Chest, Back, and Bi's. Hopefully I can get some awesome pics taken.

I feel Im doing very well with my workouts. Still a little unclear about how much cardio I need. My eating is just fresh fruits, veggies, bown rice/quinoa, etc. A Probar when I feel I need the calories and if im going to burn it off later. Im having CRAZY cravings.

Today I wanted about 2 pizzas, ice cream, bread. I just know when this show is over Im going to take a week and just freakin eat all week. Cant go off how I eat competely cause summer will be right around the corner and we all know I have to look good for the pool!

Im not taking my calcium nor my spirulina everyday. Most days I get the sprilulina, but have to choke down my calcium supp. Vega is being taken about 2-5 times a day. Ate peanutbutter today for the first time in weeks.

I plan on doing about 2 hours or so of cardio tomorrow. Hopefully I have the energy. Gonna be a mix of boring treadmill, precor, then sprint some. I like sprints because Im pretty fast and powerful for short distances and I always feel it in the hammies afterwards. Signing off for now.

Wow Octo, your work is great. Fabulous job! You're so dedicated and hardcore.

Octopussoir wrote:The one thing I have noticed since preparing for this show is my hand muscle and grip strength have almost disappeared. I cant hold onto really heavy weight for long(without straps) and doing the simplest things like dips just tears me up right to the bone. I have never had this problem as I have always had meaty hands and great grip strength. Im working through it though!

How has this been?I'm not one to be offering advice to you, or even speculating, but could it be that you're working so hard, you're getting a little overly depleted?

Im eating more these days(which Im not sure is good), but Im able to make it through two hour workouts without much fatigue.

And the crazy cravings? I'm thinking you should def add more sleep/rest in there. You're the expert tho... you know what you're doing!

The vegan movement is so lucky to have you, Robert, and L&G representing us. Thanks for all your hard work, it sounds like you're having fun!

People have been saying my attitude and personality is changing. I get irritated faster. It seems im moody. ARGGG. Oh yeah I was off all last weekend. No Freakin Excuse for it!!!! None what so ever. Then, right before I go to the Nickelback concert in Nashville it feels as if my right shoulder needs a good stretching. I stretch it as it feels tight and then somehow I popped it. Well, as the night went on I could feel my traps and my shoulder hurt. Just thought it was from standing for so long in the PIT at the concert. Well its been two days and shoulder still hurts. Yesterday I rehabbed it at the gym. I think it came from doing flat BB bench Tues which I normally dont do due to my elbow pain and such. I will train today and kcik up my cardio. My calories are lower so cardio is a bit harder for me to do. I just cant force a lot of food down my throat especially knowing I need my abs to show up on stage day.

We are ALL getting more moody....that is just part of it. I snapped or 'flipped out' according to roommates last week and have had various bouts with frustration and irritation for sure. Even yesterday riding the bike after 2.5 hours of training, I just wanted to be left alone. That is the case at home too....it's just part of bodybuilding...it's not the nicest thing for us to do, but nobody knows what it is like to live a 24 hour sport and compete unless they do it...I've had other contest prep periods where I was fine, didn't get too bothered, but I don't think I trained as hard.

When I'm training very hard and stress is high, etc. it's hard to keep composure all the time, and the more we do keep our cool, the better for everyone....but it is hard. Just go back and look at my journal and Lean and Green's journal....we spend 1/4 the time just ranting...that is part of bodybuilding, totally natural and nobody can possibly understand it unless they've lived this lifestyle as a competitor. We do try hard to be as nice as we can be...it's just hard.

Be careful man....I'm telling Lean and Green too...he was going to do heavy partial reps for legs and I talked to him about risk of injury now that we're cutting calories, cutting cards, doing cardio and weeks away from contest...no sense in getting injured and not able to compete by pushing it too hard when having less strength.

I'm doing the same...still super intense workouts, perhaps more intense because there are more reps requiring longer reps, sets and more energy output...but just not super heavy weight that could hurt me. Some workouts will still be very heavy and very strong but the idea is to just be cautious and conscious of the fact that we "should" be slightly weaker and it is totally natural.

Rest up, take it easy, don't hurt yourself but still train hard and sleep and nourish your body. It's going to need to be in tip top shape so that when basic functions are compromised due to dehydration / low bf and taxing stuff on your system, you'll function optimally.

I stopped my partials for squats. Was going to do 600lbs but why bother, for what? I'd rather do full rom with lighter weight right now then see what that feels like on my back. I did do 10 pl on each side on the sled however, lol whatever! But yeh, i'm going safe and training hard.

I am somewhat irritable as well and these all protein days leave me famished and my body wondering why it's not getting fed but we do what we need to do budday.

Today is one of those days for instance. No excuses, gym in a few for me and RC. Should get going. stay swol.........

did 20min on bike for warmup.1hr of arms... trying to see what hurts. luckily nothing did. kept the reps high and weight relatively low. i even did some pullups, pushups, and only a couple sets of dips(did not wanna risk further injury).after arms i jumped on treadclimber for 30 min and boy did i sweat! thanks RC!!! i was keeping my heartrate between 147 and 160. came home and drank 2 scoops of vega and 2 s oops of nutiva, about 10 grape leaf wraps(had white rice which i normally dont touch)..love these damn things!!! also had a small handful of raw pumpkin seeds. i will add a spinach salad and another protein shake before bed.

Have a great weekend, rest up or lean up, whatever you need to do. Of course take it easy if something is bothering you with your shoulder or arms.....even though we're only 2 months away from contest, taking a couple or even a few days off is just fine.....especially if cardio can still be done or lower body training, etc.

I was determined not to let ANY injury get to me. The three day of rehab on my shoulder seemed to work well! Im back at working out hard again. Today was a cardio/leg mix day. Didnt go heavy, but did up the reps to nothin under 20.

Went to vitamin shoppe and got some more BCAA's, Glutamine powder, 2 bags Nutiva hemp seeds, and some NO Xplode(grape). Will continue to keep going at it hard. I had a couple people asking me about veganism today and where I get my protein at... felt good man.